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James Lee Sorenson Family Foundation
The James Lee Sorenson Family Foundation was established by James Lee Sorenson and his wife Krista in 2012, formalizing a family giving practice backed by the...
James Lee Sorenson Family Foundation
The James Lee Sorenson Family Foundation was established by James Lee Sorenson and his wife Krista in 2012, formalizing a family giving practice backed by the wealth his father, James LeVoy Sorenson, amassed through Sorenson Companies. That enterprise spanned real estate developments like Sorenson Research Park, medical-device innovations, and technology ventures. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) private foundation with its philanthropic arm complemented by a mission-related investment portfolio. The foundation's strategy spans buyout, distressed debt, early-stage startup investing, and mezzanine finance. Its deployable capital targets social entrepreneurs globally through vehicles that prioritize economic opportunity. While grantmaking remains a core function, the foundation also holds a commercial FDIC structured loan portfolio and direct interests in mixed-use real estate, including The Pointe in Draper, Utah. Active partnerships with Village Capital and the University of Utah's Sorenson Impact Center extend its deal-sourcing reach, and James Lee Sorenson's role as Chairman of Village Capital further embeds the foundation in accelerator-style impact investing. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, the foundation maintains close ties to professional impact-investor networks, notably through membership in Toniic and James Lee Sorenson's seat on the National Advisory Board of Impact Investing. The foundation's assets, estimated at roughly $138 million, are deployed alongside a related entity, the Sorenson Legacy Foundation. No opening of a separate fund or spinout vehicle has been publicly reported in the past 24 months. A defining structural feature is the foundation's hybrid posture: it runs a grantmaking program, a direct investment portfolio, and real-asset holdings within one 501(c)(3) entity, while the founder simultaneously chairs a for-profit accelerator network. That governance arrangement gives the foundation an unusual degree of overlap with venture-style deal flow, even as its capital remains charitable in tax treatment and mandate.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
2012
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Salt Lake City
Corporate office
Salt Lake City, UT, United States
Principals
James Lee Sorenson
Chairman and Founder
Krista Sorenson
Co-founder
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at the James Lee Sorenson Family Foundation?
James Lee Sorenson, as chairman and founder, is the primary decision-maker. The foundation does not publish a separate investment committee roster, but Sorenson's concurrent role as Chairman of the Board at Village Capital indicates hands-on engagement with deal selection and portfolio strategy.
How does the foundation source proprietary deal flow?
Sourcing runs through a network of impact-investing relationships. The foundation's partnership with Village Capital — where James Lee Sorenson chairs the board — provides direct line-of-sight to early-stage social enterprises, while its membership in Toniic and its endowment of the Sorenson Impact Center at the University of Utah create additional origination channels.
Is the foundation structured solely as a grantmaker?
No. While the James Lee Sorenson Family Foundation is a 501(c)(3) that makes philanthropic grants, it maintains a distinct mission-related investment portfolio that engages in buyouts, distressed debt, mezzanine finance, and startup equity. It also holds direct real estate interests, making it a hybrid grantmaking-and-investing entity.
What asset classes does the foundation invest in?
The foundation targets private equity buyouts, distressed debt, early-stage startups, and mezzanine finance. It also holds hard assets including a commercial real estate portfolio anchored by The Pointe in Draper, Utah, an FDIC structured loan portfolio, and Sorenson Research Park in Salt Lake City.
Where does the foundation's underlying wealth come from?
The wealth originated with James LeVoy Sorenson, father of founder James Lee Sorenson, who built the Sorenson Companies. That enterprise generated wealth across real estate development, medical devices, and technology, with signature assets including Sorenson Research Park and a range of health-tech patents.
How is the James Lee Sorenson Family Foundation related to the Sorenson Legacy Foundation?
Both are philanthropic vehicles of the Sorenson family based in Utah. The Sorenson Legacy Foundation operates as a separate entity with its own grantmaking programs, while the James Lee Sorenson Family Foundation — founded later in 2012 — adds an impact-investing portfolio alongside its grants. They share family principals but maintain distinct legal structures.
What is the foundation's relationship with Village Capital?
Village Capital is an accelerator and venture capital firm focused on impact. James Lee Sorenson serves as its Chairman of the Board, linking the foundation to a global pipeline of early-stage social ventures. The foundation itself is a business partner of Village Capital, using the relationship for both co-investment access and grantee identification.
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